Faucet



Feb. 13, 1934.

w. c. BUTTNER 1,947,329

FAUCET 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 16, 1950 I Y "I, 89 E4 IIIII// Feb.13, 1934.

w. c. BUTTNER 1,947,329

FAUCET Filed Oct. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 13, 1934UNITED STATES FAUCET William C. Buttner, Chicago, Ill., assignor to TheBastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication October 16, 1930. Serial No. 489,083

11 Claims.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in faucets of thekind employed in the dispensing of beverages and especially in thedispensing of beverages of which carbonated water is an ingredient. Abeverage of the foregoing character may be dispensed either as a soliddrink or as a creamy drink or in an intermediate state between the aboveknown as a foamy drink. The water and syrup are mixed prior to dischargefrom the faucet and the character of the drink is determined by thequantity of carbonated water mixed with the syrup, the manner in whichthe water and syrup are intermixed and upon the agitation of the syrupby the water during the admixture thereof. Root beer is a typical drinkof this character and one of the objects of the invention is to providea novel faucet for use in the dispensing of root beer although it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to the dispensing ofsuch a beverage, for any analogous beverage may be dispensed therefrom.Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel faucet having buta single operating handle whereby operation thereof is simplified;wherein a manually operable control member is provided which may bedisposed in a number of different determined positions to vary thecharacter of the drink dispensed; wherein the water passage through thefaucet is regulated by the control member in order that a coarse or finestream of water may be dispensed from the faucet; and wherein manuallyadjustable members are provided for regulating the syrup and waterpassage through the valve.

In the selected embodiment of my invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a faucetconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 22on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 'l'is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 on Fig.3; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the discharge end of the nozzle of my faucet.

My improved faucet includes a main body 9 having a neck 10 projectingfrom the rear end thereof and extending axially through the neck 10 intothe body 9 are passages 11 and 12. A coupling 13 is provided forconnecting a conduit 14 to the free end of the neck 10, and in thisconduit 14 the water and vsyrup supply pipes are disposed to beconcealed thereby, and the conduit 14 is either connected to the membercontaining the ingredients to be dispensed or to a suitable standard ofa fountain or the like. The water supply pipe communicates with thepassage 11 and the syrup supply pipe communicates with the passage 12.

As best illustrated in Fig. 5, one of the flat slde faces of the body 9is recessed, as indicated at 15, and inwardly of the recess 15 is apolygonal recess 16 in which a similarly shaped valve facing 17 isdisposed. The valve facing 17 is made from a wear-resistant materialand, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, this valve facing has a port 18 atthe center thereof, and disposed above this port in vertical alignmenttherewith is a port 19, the ports 18 and 19 being of substantially thesame size. Disposed below the port 18 and in vertical alignmenttherewith is a port 20, and disposed to one side of this port is a port21, ports 20 and 21 being of substantially the same size and preferablylarger than the ports 18 and 19. A passage 22 (Fig. 5) interconnects thepassage 11 and the port 18, and thus water passing into the faucet flowsthrough the passage 22 to the port 18. Disposed in the recess 15, withthe flat face thereof in abutment with the valve facing 17, is a valvemember 23. A port 24 is provided in the valve member 23 at the centerthereof, and this port communicates with the port 18 when the valvemember 23 is arranged in operating position. Another port 25 is providedin the valve member 23, and this port is spaced from the port 24 in anamount equal to the spacing between the ports 18 and 19, and a passage26 in the valve member 23 interconnects the ports 24 and 25. Two ports27 and 28 are provided in the valve member 23, and these ports areinterconnected by a passage 29. The ports 27 and 28 are spaced apart asmuch as, and are disposed similarly to, the ports 20 and 21 and are tocooperate therewith, as will be brought forth presently. A passage 30interconnects the passage 12 and the port 20,.and thus syrup suppliedthrough the passage 12 is directed through the passage 30 to the port20. The valve member 23 is forced into engagement with the valve facing1'7 in a manner to be described hereinafter, and is held tightlythereagainst, and therefore water directed to the port 18 flows throughthe no port 24 into the passage 26 to the port 25, and when the valve isin closed position this port is closed by the valve facing 17. The faceof the valve member '23 closes the port 20 when the valve member isarranged in closing position, and thus the flow of syrup through theport 20 is prevented. However, by turning the valve member 23 into openposition, in a manner to be set forth, the port 25 is moved intoalignment with the port 19, and therefore water passes through the ports25 and 19 into the passage 31, and the discharge of the water from thefaucet is controlled by mechanisms to be described which are arranged inpassages communicating with the passage 31. When the .valve is moved toopen position the port 27 registers with the port 20 and the port 28registers with the port 21, and therefore syrup flows through the port20 into the port 27 through the passage 29 and out through the ports 28and 21 into the passage 32 (Fig. 6). At the forward end of the main body9 is a vertically extending passage 33, the upper end of which is closedby a cap nut 34. A passage 35 extends angularly through the main body 9from the inner end of the passage 32 to a point adjacent the lower endof the passage 33, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Thus, syrup admittedinto the passage 32 flows through the passage 35 into the dischargepassage 33 which also serves as a mixing chamber, as will be describedpresently. In axial alignment with the passage 31 and extending inwardlyfrom one of the flat side faces of the body 9 is a passage 36.

A valve member, generally indicated by 37, includes a screw-threadedportion 38, that is screw threadedly mounted in the passage 36, saidpassage 36 including an enlarged portion 39 at the outer end thereof inwhich a shoulder 40 on the valve member is disposed. Packing washers 41are disposed around the stem portion of the valve member 37 interiorlyof a boss 42 on the adjacent face of the main body 9, and a cap nut 43having a central opening therein, through which the valve member 37extends, holds the packing washers 41 in position and engages thethreaded periphery of the boss 42, this arrangement preventing leakagepast the valve member 37.

On the outer end of the valve member 37 is a polygonal portion 44. Aregulating handle45 is provided which includes an offset portion 46whereby the handle 45 is disposed substantially parallel with the boss42, and the offset portion thereof has a polygonal opening therein inwhich the polygonal portion 44 is disposed and the washer and screwarrangement 47 prevent displacement thereof from the end of the valve37.

Thus, by moving the handle 45 the position of the valve member 37 in thepassage 36 may be regulated. The passage 36 communicates with thepassage 31 through the valve seat 48. When the valve member 37 isretracted from the valve seat 48, water flowsfrom the passage 31 pastthe valve seat 48 into the passage 36 and through the restricted passage49 that extends between the inner end of the passage 35 and the passage36. Thus, when the valve member 37 is unseated, water flows into thepassage 35 at a time syrup is flowing therethrough, and by reason of therestricted passage 49 a fine stream having a relatively high head isdischarged into the passage- 1,947,329 end of the passage 31 and is inconstant communicatlon therewith. Therefore, as soon as water isadmitted into the passage 31 water flows through the passage 50 into thedischarge passage 33. Therefore, if the valve member 37 is seated on thevalve seat 48 water nevertheless is supplied and mixed with the syrupwhich is discharged simultaneously with the water when the valve member23 is moved to open position. Thus, the water and syrup. are intermixedin the discharge passage 33 which serves as a mixing chamber. At thelower and of the discharge passage 33 is a discharge nozzle 51 which maybe of any approved type. I have, however, shown a discharge nozzlehaving at the lower end thereof a plurality of inwardly extending prongs52 which tend to break up and cause admixture of the water and syrup asit passes therefrom to bring about thorough co-mingling thereof. But, aspointed out above, such a special nozzle need not be provided as anozzle having an ordinary discharge opening will serve satisfactorily.In order to operate the valve member 23 I provide the control handle 53having at the lower end thereof a polygonal opening 54, which embraces apolygonal portion on the connecting member 55. At the inner end of theconnecting member 55 there is a diametrical slot 56 receiving adiametrical boss 57 on the valve member 23. A retaining cap 58 has theinner end thereof screw-threadedly mounted on a threaded boss providedon the main body 9 about the recess 15, and includes a stem portionsurrounding the connecting member 55, said retaining cap having ashoulder embracing the 1 enlarged head portion on the connecting member55 to retain said member in position. Extending through an axial bore inthe connecting member is a screw 59, the inner end of which engages theface of the diametrical boss 57 and acts on the valve member to hold thesame in tight engagement with the valve facing 17. A nut 60 has anopening therein, through which the screw 59 extends, and is mounted onthe outer endof the connecting member and serves to retain the handle 53in position. In order to regulate the amount of syrup discharged Iprovide a valve 61 (Fig. 6), which extends through a bore 62 in the mainbody 9 and which is screw-threadedly mounted therein and whichextendsacross the passage 12 to partially restrict syrup passage throughsaid passage 12, the amount of restriction depending upon thedisposition of the valve. The valve includes a stem 63 which extendsthrough an axial bore in the retaining nut 64, said retaining nutengaging a washer 65 to prevent leakage past the screw threads of thevalve member 61. A c'ap'nut 66 mounted at the outer end of the retainingnut 64 has an axial opening through which the stem 63 extends and forcesthe packing 67 into engagement with the stem to prevent leakage pastsaid stem. A valve 68, similar to the valve just described, extends intothe passage 50 and regulates water discharge therethrough so that thequantity of water introduced into the discharge passage 33 may beregulated. In order that the valve member 23 may be readily positionedin on or off position, I provide a groove 69 in the periphery thereofand I mount a pin 70 in the main body 9 and by engaging opposite ends ofthe slot 69 with the pin 70 the valve may be arranged in on or offposition.

It has been pointed out that one of the objects of the invention is toprovide a faucet which may be used in the dispensing of beverages andthat this faucet may be operated to bring about alteration, and Itherefore do not wish to be the discharge of either a creamy or a soliddrink or, if desired, a drink intermediate these two known as a foamydrink. This is accomplished by positioning the regulating handle 45 indiflerent positions whereby the valve member 37 may be either closed oropened wide, or arranged in a position intermediate these positions. Thenature of the drink is determined before the control handle 53 isoperated. If a solid drink is to be dispensed the regulating handle 45is disposed in a position to seat the valve member 37 on the valve seat48, and therefore water will be discharged. only through the passage andwater so discharged will co-mingle with the syrup introduced into thedischarge passage 33, and a solid drink, that is one without any foam,will be discharged through the nozzle 51. However, if a creamy drink isto be dispensed, the regulating handle 45 will be moved into a positionwhich will retract the valve member 37 from the valve seat 48 in anamount to permit free passage of the water past said valve seat 48.Water will also be discharged through the passage 50, but the waterpassing the valve seat 48 will pass through the restricted passage 49and co-mingle with the syrup in the passage 35. By reason of therestricted size of the passage 49 the water will tend to cut and becomethoroughly intermixed with the syrup, and this mixture of syrup andwater will co-mingle while passing through the discharge passage 30, andin this manner a creamy drink will be dispensed. Should a foamy drink bedesired, the handle 45 is disposed in a position to restrict, but notprevent, passage of the water past the valve seat 48. Therefore, but asmall'quantity of water will be permitted to pass through the passage49. The

difference between a foamy drink and a creamy drink depends upon thequantity of water intermixed with the syrup as well as the head of thiswater, for these are the things which determine the intermingling of thesyrup and water and the more thorough this intermingling, whichmanifestly depends upon the amount the syrup is cut by the water, thecreamier will be the drink. It is therefore manifest that by positioningthe handle 45 in different positions, different degrees of foaminess ofthe drink may be attained.

In the foregoing description I have described a faucet which may beoperated by only one hand of the operator. The operator will firstdetermine the nature of the drink to be dispensed and will position theregulating handle 45 in a corresponding position. The operator will thengrasp the control handle and movement thereof will position the valvemember 23 to register the various ports, as above described, which willpermit the discharge of the syrup and Water. By providing calibrations,or other marks, on the body, the nature of the drink may be indicated bythe relative position of the handle 45 with respect to thesecalibrations. It is therefore apparent that a faucet having but a singleoperating handle is provided and that this operating handle need not bearranged in a neutral position as has been customary in the art whereinit has been common to move the handle in one direction to secure acreamy drink and to move the handle in the other direction to secure asolid drink. Furthermore, the faucet is such that drinks of any desiredfoaminess may be dispensed to suit individual tastes, which could not beobtained by the use of former faucets.

In the foregoing description I have set forth a selected embodiment ofmy invention, but it is to be understood that this is capable of changeand limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myselfof such changes and modifications as fall within the purview of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A faucet including .a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a syrup outlet passage andtwo independent water outlet passages both adapted to receive water fromthe water supply passage, means for controlling syrup and water flowthrough said faucet, means for operating the controlling means to effectsimultaneous flow of syrup and water through all of the passagestherefor, means regulating the volume of flow of syrup, and other meansregulating the volume of flow of water through one of the independentwater outlet passages.

2. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body having a discharge passage therein, saidbody also havinga syrup outlet passage leading to said discharge passageand two independent water outlet passages one of which leads directly tosaid discharge passage and the other of which leads to said syrup outletpassage, means controlling syrup and water flow through the faucet, andvalve means for controlling flow of water through the water outletpassage leading to said syrup outlet passage.

3. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body having a common water outlet passage,said body also having a syrup outlet passage and two independent wateroutlet passages communicating with the common water outlet passage,means controlling syrup and water flow through said faucet, means foroperating the controlling means to effect simultaneous flow of syrup andwater through all of the passages therefor, and independent valve meansbetween said common water outlet passage and one of said independentwater outlet passages for regulating water flow to said one independentwater outlet passage.

4. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a syrup outlet passage andtwo independent water outlet passages, common means for controllingsyrup and water passage through said faucet, and independent means forcontrolling water passage through one of said two water outlet passageswhereby water passage through the other of said water outlet passageswill be controlled only by said common means while water passage throughsaid one of said water outlet passages will be additionally controlledby said independent means.

5. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a syrup outlet passage andtwo independent water outlet passages, common means for controllingsyrup and water passage through said faucet, a handle for operating saidcommon means, independent means for controlling water passage throughone of said two outlet passages, and a handle for operating said inganother water outlet passage communicating with the syrup outletpassage, means for controlling syrup and water passage through saidfaucet and operable to efiect simultaneous flow of syrup and waterthrough all of the passages therefor, and independent means forcontrolling water passage through said passage communicating with saidsyrup outlet passage.

7. A faucet including a main body having a. syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a discharge passage and asyrup outlet passage and a common water outlet passage having a passagecommunicating with said discharge passage and having a restricted branchpassage communicating with said syrup outlet passage, means forcontrolling syrup and water passage through said faucet, and means forcontrolling water passage through said restricted passage.

'8. A faucet including a main body having a. syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a discharge passage andsyrup and water outlet passages communicating with said dischargepassage, said body having a restricted water outlet passagecommunieating with said syrup outlet passage, means for controllingsyrup and water passage through said faucet, means for controlling waterpassage through said restricted passage whereby when water flowstherethrough it will be mixed with syrup prior to passage thereof tosaid discharge passage, and means for controlling water passage throughsaid first-named water outlet passage.

9. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a discharge passage and asyrup outlet passage, said body having a common water outlet passagecommunicating with a branch water outlet passage extending to saiddischarge passage and a restricted branch water outlet passage extendingto said syrup outlet passage, a common means for controllingcommunication between said syrup supply passage and said syrup outletpassage and said water supply passage and said common .water outletpassage, independent valve means for con-- trolling water passagethrough said restricted branch passage, a handle for operating saidcommon valve means, and a handle for operating said independent valvemeans whereby said independent valve means may be positioned-todetermine the water passage through said faucet prior to the operationof the handle operating said common valve means.

10. A faucet including a main body having a syrup-supply passage and awater supply passage opening into a valve seat, a syrup outlet passageand a common water outlet passage opening into said valve seat, a commonvalve ent valve means for controlling water passage through saidrestricted passage, a handle for controlling operation of saidindependent valve means and a handle for controlling operation of saidcommon valve means whereby said common valve means may be operated toopen said faucet after said independent valve means has been positionedto determine water passage through said faucet.

11. A faucet including a main body having a syrup supply passage and awater supply passage, said body also having a discharge passage andsyrup and water outlet passages communieating with said dischargepassage, means for controlling the flow of syrup and .water through thepassages in said faucet, and a discharge nozzle at the outlet end ofsaid discharge passage and having 'an outlet passage therein and a partat the outer end of'said outlet passage, said part having an openingtherein and including fingers projecting into said opening substantiallyradially thereof and adapted to break up and cause admixture of waterand syrup as it passes from the discharge nozzle to bring about thoroughcomingling of the syrup and water.

WILLIAM C. BUTTNER.

